What is the most likely origin of repetitive behavior in a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

Repetitive behavior in a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is most commonly rooted in anxiety. Individuals with OCD often experience intrusive thoughts or obsessions that provoke significant anxiety. To alleviate this anxiety, they engage in compulsive behaviors or rituals. These compulsions serve as a coping mechanism, providing temporary relief from the distress caused by their obsessive thoughts.

In the context of OCD, anxiety is the driving force behind the compulsive behaviors, making it essential to address the underlying anxiety in any treatment plan. While fear, depression, and delusions can coexist with OCD, they do not directly drive the repetitive behaviors characteristic of the disorder. Instead, they may be symptoms or contributing factors that complicate the presentation of OCD, but it is the anxiety stemming from intrusive thoughts that primarily leads to the compulsions observed in clients with this condition.